taint

[ teynt ]

/ teɪnt /

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noun

a trace of something bad, offensive, or harmful.

a trace of infection, contamination, or the like.

a trace of dishonor or discredit.

Obsolete. color; tint.

verb (used with object)

to modify by or as if by a trace of something offensive or deleterious.

to infect, contaminate, corrupt, or spoil.

to sully or tarnish (a person's name, reputation, etc.).

Obsolete. to color or tint.

verb (used without object)

to become tainted; spoil.

OTHER WORDS FOR taint

1 defect, flaw, fault; spot, blemish, stain.

6 defile, pollute, poison.

7 dishonor, stain.

See synonyms for taint on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of taint

First recorded in 1325–75; conflation of Middle English taynt, shortened variant of attaint “struck, attainted,” past participle of attainten “to convict” (see attaint), late Middle English taynt “hue, tint” (see tint), from Anglo-French teint or directly from Latin tinctus, equivalent to ting(ere) “to dye, color“ (see tinge) + -tus suffix of verb action); and teinte, from Late Latin tincta “inked stroke,” noun use of feminine of past participle of tingere

OTHER WORDS FROM taint

un·taint·ing, adjective

Words nearby taint

tain, Tainan, Taínaron, Taine, Taíno, taint, tainted, taintless, taipan, Taipei, Taiping

Other definitions for taint (2 of 2)

taint²

or t'aint

noun Slang: Vulgar.

the area between the testicles or vulva and the anus; the perineum.

Origin of taint

First recorded in 1955–60; casual pronunciation of it ain’t (the one or the other), i.e., it is the area in between

How to use taint in a sentence

Through a group called the SommFoundation, she arranged a harvest internship at an Oregon winery, but that was canceled when the winery decided not to harvest because of smoke taint from wildfires.
Sommeliers have been forced to pivot in the pandemic, and their futures remain uncertain|Dave McIntyre|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
He warned that the taint of Bircherism could sink Reagan and other conservative candidates in 1966.
Long before QAnon, Ronald Reagan and the GOP purged John Birch extremists from the party|Erick Trickey|January 15, 2021|Washington Post
Knowing could change the participant’s behavior and taint any data coming out of the trial, he says.
The FDA has authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Now what?|Tina Hesman Saey|December 12, 2020|Science News
Because most early diet sodas didn’t taste that great, strategists warned against associating their brands with drinks that might taint their tremendous value.
The Rise And Fall Of Tab – After Surviving The Sweetener Scares, The Iconic Diet Soda Gets Canned|LGBTQ-Editor|November 29, 2020|No Straight News

Smoke is a problem for vintage 2020, as taint from extensive exposure ruins grapes and could significantly reduce the quantity of wine this year, especially reds.
Wildfires, trade wars, COVID-19: The 2020 global wine harvest may go down as the most challenging yet|Bernhard Warner|September 20, 2020|Fortune
Whether the charge will work to sufficiently taint Orman is another issue, says Popkin.
As Roberts and Orman Double Down, It’s War in Kansas|Eleanor Clift|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Infiltration, though, may well taint all main rebel factions.
Is Al Qaeda Aiding Bashar Al-Assad?|Jamie Dettmer|February 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In losing, however, he will taint his possible rivals—including Rand Paul—as pitiful members of the "surrender caucus."
Can Ted Cruz Win by Losing?|David Frum|September 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Once successfully in, I can see my Hash 160 and Taint Analysis, among other things.
My Bitcoin (Mis)adventure|Winston Ross|April 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Random spot checks, so that getting checked carries no taint.
Searching for Fraud|Megan McArdle|October 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The taint of commerce and the smoke of the north hangs visibly on the horizon.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car|Thomas D. Murphy
The taint was too inveterate to be eradicated; the evil was immedicable; Rome was already effete and moribund.
The Catacombs of Rome|William Henry Withrow
It was spring in all its glory, without a taint of summer's heat, or a lingering chill of winter.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Krafft-Ebing said that he never saw a case of true and reasonably well developed paranoia without hereditary taint.
Essays In Pastoral Medicine|Austin Malley
This and the peculiar notched or cleft teeth seem to point to an hereditary taint.
Spanish Life in Town and Country|L. Higgin and Eugne E. Street

British Dictionary definitions for taint

taint

/ (teɪnt) /

verb

to affect or be affected by pollution or contaminationoil has tainted the water

to tarnish (someone's reputation, etc)

noun

a defect or flawa taint on someone's reputation

a trace of contamination or infection

Derived forms of taint

taintless, adjective

Word Origin for taint

C14: (influenced by attaint infected, from attain) from Old French teindre to dye, from Latin tingere to dye

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

taint

OTHER WORDS FOR taint

Origin of taint

OTHER WORDS FROM taint

Words nearby taint

Other definitions for taint (2 of 2)

or t'aint

Origin of taint

Words related to taint

How to use taint in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for taint

Derived forms of taint

Word Origin for taint